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Paterno Legacy [review of Jay's book]
philly.com ^ | 8-6-14 | Stan Hochman

Posted on 08/06/2014 7:34:38 AM PDT by FlJoePa

IN HINDSIGHT, Joe Paterno wrote, the day after he got fired with a phone call, he wished he had done more. He had not committed a crime, he had not witnessed a crime, he had reported what sounded like a crime to his superiors.

The haters jumped all over that sentence, like it was some kind of a confession that the legendary Penn State football coach had somehow enabled Jerry Sandusky to sexually abuse those kids, while he looked the other way.

The haters spent a lot less time debating the note he scribbled on a pad before going to the hospital, where he died, the note that said, "Maybe the silver lining in this is that some good can come of this."

Jay Paterno says those are the words people should focus on. Says it in his new book, "Paterno Legacy."

It is an honor-thy-father book, describing JoePa's values, his work ethic, his philosophy that you could have big-time football success with honor. It's got some inside-football in it, some humor in it, some hard truths.

The publisher would set deadlines for certain chapters and Jay turned them in ahead of schedule. The publisher blinked in disbelief because writers who turn in manuscripts ahead of schedule are unicorn-rare.

"I told them," Jay said yesterday, "that that is the way I was raised. As a son, as a player, as a coach. Get to a meeting 10 minutes early."

JoePa would have been proud of that. And happy that the portrait Jay paints includes some warts. You could fill two shelves with articles and books about JoePa, that read like nominations for sainthood.

"He would say all the time," Jay recalled, "I wish I was half as good as they make me out to be."

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Miscellaneous; Sports
KEYWORDS: athletics; biography; bookreview; football; joe; ncaa; paterno; pedophile; pedu; pervert; psu
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To: TexasGator
"Uh, he had a detailed first hand account."

Huh? Care to elaborate? Even McQueary is on record as saying Joe handled everything perfectly. Hell, the lead prosecutor (Fina) is on record as saying Joe handled everything perfectly and did nothing that would suggest he was involved in any sort of cover up.

Why would Joe (or ANYONE at PSU) cover up for a pedophile? Especially one that he didn't like? To save the football program? Please, that is such a weak argument it's laughable.

21 posted on 08/06/2014 8:21:35 AM PDT by FlJoePa
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To: FlJoePa

You seem to care not for anything good and just if it might cast a shadow on your beloved Penn State or your deification of Paterno.

The hater, appears to be you....for any who would besmirch the name of you football gods.

Look in a mirror and at your posting name.


22 posted on 08/06/2014 8:22:35 AM PDT by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: Vaquero

So...I just accept what I consider ridiculously unjust criticism of Joe and PSU why? Because you think I should?

That’s not good enough. Sorry.


23 posted on 08/06/2014 8:26:03 AM PDT by FlJoePa
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To: FlJoePa

What about the 1998 incident where Sandusky admitted showering with a naked boy? Knowing JoePa’s position is it remotely possible that both local and campus police investigated the incident, had audio tape of Sandusky apologizing to victim’s mother in her home for what he’d done, and JoePa never knowing or being told about it? And Sandusky soon after announcing his retirement was just a coincidence? NO way. JoePa knew about the 1998 crime and pushed JS out the door without taking away his keys to the Penn State showers where he continued his molestations.


24 posted on 08/06/2014 8:26:37 AM PDT by GAgal
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To: FlJoePa
Why would Joe (or ANYONE at PSU) cover up for a pedophile? Especially one that he didn't like?

He might not have covered it up, but he may have avoided doing more because of the gay mafia regime then in power at Penn State. It would have been highly politically unpopular with the administration to expose a homo pedophile connected with the school at that time.

Which is no excuse, certainly, but it may have been part of what happened.

25 posted on 08/06/2014 8:29:43 AM PDT by Oberon (John 12:5-6)
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To: GAgal

1998 was fully investigated and no charges were filed.

Joe didn’t know about 1998. It actually would have been against the law for him to know about it.

JS took advantage of a 30 year retirement deal the state was offering for an increased pension. Had the Jets not lost their last 3 games that year, and Al Groh not quit to become the UVA coach, JS would have been the UVA coach.

Joe had zero to do w/ JS’s emeritus status. That was approved by Spanier and actually signed off on by Erickson. Joe questioned JS’s ability to bring 2nd mile kids on campus (liability), but was overruled.


26 posted on 08/06/2014 8:31:47 AM PDT by FlJoePa
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To: FlJoePa

Joe didn’t have any “suspicions”. He had a sketchy 2nd hand account.

<><><<

I thought Joe had an eyewitness account. Surely you are not engaging in “injecting false information into a narrative and repeating it as if it were the truth.”


27 posted on 08/06/2014 8:34:05 AM PDT by dmz
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To: TexasGator
In any other college an assistant coach like Sandusky would of been grabbed an been made a head coach of a competing team. That it never happened is more than unusual. What was is that kept them all away for over 10 years? I don't know, but something spooked them all.
Just saying
28 posted on 08/06/2014 8:35:24 AM PDT by reefdiver (Be the Best you can be Whatever you Dream to be)
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To: onedoug

You might be able to excuse him for not doing that right off the bat. After nothing happened and he saw Sandusky still coming around, still bringing kids with him, though?

Yeah, at that point, you can’t just say “I did what was required” and shrug off your responsibility.


29 posted on 08/06/2014 8:35:41 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: reefdiver

True, Football coaches are like a Fraternity, very hard to keep secrets among them.


30 posted on 08/06/2014 8:37:05 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: FlJoePa
Joe followed procedure. Period. If he had done anything more, he would have been interfering in an investigation.

That's quite a spin there. In many institutions, a "procedure" has been set up to allow the institution to avoid public embarrassment. The procedure is there to keep control the situation.

So let's use some common sense here instead. What should you do if you suspect a major crime has been committed, especially a crime against a child?

You call the police. If you fear for your job, you can do it anonymously. Or you can take the moral high ground and risk your job by not being anonymous.

But you don't just mention it to your supervisor. You call the police. And if the crime is serious - and perhaps ongoing - you don't call the company police or the guard at the back gate. You call the municipal police.

31 posted on 08/06/2014 8:42:29 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: Leaning Right

Well said.


32 posted on 08/06/2014 8:43:38 AM PDT by NEMDF
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To: Vaquero
You seem to care not for anything good and just if it might cast a shadow on your beloved Penn State or your deification of Paterno.

There are none to blind as those who will not see...


33 posted on 08/06/2014 8:47:20 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (I'm a Christian, pro-life, pro-gun, Reaganite. The GOP hates me. Why should I vote for them?)
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To: Leaning Right

Sorry. No matter who the PD was, Campus Police, State College Police or the State police they would have been glad handed and told administration will handle this. Which is what happened. The Campus Police Chief should be in jail and fired.


34 posted on 08/06/2014 8:47:21 AM PDT by Safetgiver
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To: Leaning Right

What major crime was Joe told of? What major crime did MM witness? Truth is, MM didn’t witness much of anything (his words). He heard sounds.

The OAG can twist that into anal rape all they want (and they did). That doesn’t make it true, and MM called them on it.

What he told Joe, Curley, and Schultz is still unknown and will hopefully be revealed in the GS/GS/TC trials (going on 3 years now) if they ever happen.

But apparently you were there and know exactly what MM told Joe.


35 posted on 08/06/2014 8:47:59 AM PDT by FlJoePa
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To: Oberon

Your views are exactly on target.


36 posted on 08/06/2014 8:51:04 AM PDT by aloppoct (stucnsf)
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To: windcliff

...ping....


37 posted on 08/06/2014 8:56:44 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: FlJoePa

“Why would Joe (or ANYONE at PSU) cover up for a pedophile?”

Good question. Why did he cover it up?


38 posted on 08/06/2014 8:57:14 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: reefdiver

“What was is that kept them all away for over 10 years?”

Everyone knew. Just like everyone knew about Aaron Hernandez.


39 posted on 08/06/2014 8:59:08 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Oberon
" It would have been highly politically unpopular with the administration to expose a homo pedophile RING connected with the school at that time." Bold is mine.
40 posted on 08/06/2014 9:03:20 AM PDT by TexasGator
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